Addams Family, The
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre | Opening: 04/08/2010That lovable family of creepy kooks is alive and well and living in their super-spooky mansion in Central Park. The Addams family, led by the elegantly gaunt and seemingly undead Morticia and her ever-devoted husband Gomez, is in turmoil. Their daughter Wednesday, now 18, finds herself falling in love—a sensation that is unsettling for both her and her family of endearing misfits. When the teen invites her new boyfriend, Lucas Beineke, over with his “normal” family to get better acquainted with the Addams household, comic chaos (including everything from an amorous giant squid to mixed-up potions to a scorching tango) ensues.
Fans of Charles Addams’ macabre cartoons and the popular TV show and movies they inspired will not be disappointed by this musical. The original story and score may be new to audiences, but the iconic characters, including Lurch, Grandmama, Pugsley and Uncle Fester, remain. In addition to singing and dancing, this Addams Family is different from other incarnations of the altogether ooky clan: Wednesday, now coming of age, is no longer simply a pig-tailed lass with a penchant for (literally) torturing her brother, and Morticia has morphed from the picture of cool confidence to a woman faced with her own mortality—and all the anxiety (and perhaps comfort) that entails.
Despite talk of death, sexual innuendo and physical suffering, The Addams Family is perfect for kids. First Lady Michelle Obama brought her two daughters to the show; if that’s not a seal of approval, what is?
Anything Goes
Stephen Sondheim Theatre | Opening: 04/07/2010Anything Goes is set aboard the ocean liner S. S. American, where nightclub singer/evangelist Reno Sweeney is en route from New York to England. Her pal Billy Crocker has stowed away to be near his love, Hope Harcourt, but the problem is Hope is engaged to the wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Joining this love triangle on board the luxury liner are Public Enemy #13, Moonface Martin and his sidekick-in-crime Erma. With the help of some elaborate disguises, tap-dancing sailors and good old-fashioned blackmail, Reno and Martin join forces to help Billy in his quest to win Hope’s heart.
Anything Goes is a shining example of classic musical theater, complete with amazing tap numbers, campy jokes, unlikely happy endings and eminently hummable songs like “De-Lovely,” “I Get a Kick Out Of You” and “Anything Goes,” courtesy of the unforgettable score by Cole Porter.
With the exception of some slight sexual innuendo and a few jokes that might be considered un-PC by today’s standards, Anything Goes is fast-paced, farcical and kid-friendly.
Billy Elliot
Imperial Theatre | Opening: 11/13/2008Based on the Academy Award nominated 2000 film of the same title, Billy Elliot is the story of its namesake star, a young boy in a depressed working-class mining town in the North of England. Set during the history-making 1984 miner’s strike, the show follows Billy, the youngest child of a blue-collar family that has recently lost its Mum, as he discovers his unlikely and extraordinary gift for ballet. While Billy’s father and brother take to the picket lines of the violent and life-changing strike, Billy secretly begins to study the art of dance with the help of a hard-drinking, chain-smoking local dance teacher. But as Billy blossoms and thrives, the world and lives around him continues to wither—and his only escape may be the prestigious Royal Ballet School, a place no working-class boy has ever gone, or been allowed to go to, before.
A transfer of the smash-hit West End production, Billy Elliot brings on tears and laughs almost simultaneously. The show is decidedly dark, reflecting the bleakness of Billy’s declining hometown and the uncertain future of his struggling family from beginning to end. Don’t despair, however: the show is buoyed with plenty of humor, and the numbers performed by the show’s title stars exceed even the highest expectations. Billy Elliot has an undoubtedly uplifting and touching story to tell, but if you’re looking for a simpler dollop of Broadway fluff, this might not be the best bet.
Just because a show is about a child doesn’t mean it’s necessarily for children. The show is littered liberally with the sort of bad language you’d expect to find in a blue-collar community during tough times (some of the best expletives are delivered by the show’s child stars themselves), though nothing worse than you’d hear on your average late-night cable drama. A few mildly violent riot scenes and a 2+ hour running time may make the show unsuitable for your own youngsters, but the show’s message, content and story and content are a definite don’t-miss for ‘tweens and above.
Bonnie & Clyde
Schoenfeld Theater | Opening: 12/01/11Infamous outlaw couple Bonnie & Clyde come to life in a love story that is both compelling and sexy. The musical is distinct from the film of the same name, but faithful to the personalities of the legendary characters that made the film such a large part of the American landscape.
Book of Mormon, The
Eugene O'Neill Theatre | Opening: 03/24/11The Book of Mormon follows two young missionaries who are sent to Uganda to try to convert citizens to the Mormon religion. One missionary, Elder Price, is an enthusiastic go-getter with a strong dedication to his faith, while his partner, Elder Cunningham, is a socially awkward but well meaning nerd whose tendency to embroider the truth soon lands him in trouble. Upon their arrival in Africa, Elders Price and Cunningham learn that in a society plagued by AIDS, poverty and violence, a successful mission may not be as easy as they expected.
Composed by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone alongside Avenue Q’s Robert Lopez, The Book of Mormon takes the popular animated TV series’ signature brand of intelligent yet over-the-top vulgar humor and combines it with the sensibilities of a traditional Broadway show. The production features several big song-and-dance numbers from the tap-dancing missionaries, as well as African-flavored songs from the villagers. The show does not viciously mock the Mormon religion; instead, it uses its history and belief system to open up further discussion about religion and faith in general.
This is not a show for children. In addition to profanity and words that parents will not want their kids repeating (a sample lyric: “F**k You, God”), there is plenty of adults-only material in this musical. Topics include genital mutilation, bestiality, pedophilia, AIDS and much more. Sexual acts are simulated on stage and members of a gang that live in the missionaries' village carry weapons and violently threaten the citizens' lives. Get a babysitter and leave the kids at home.
Chicago
Ambassador Theatre | Opening: 11/14/96Set in the legendary city during the roaring “jazz hot” 20s, Chicago tells the story of two rival vaudevillian murderesses locked up in Cook County Jail. Nightclub star Velma’s serving time for killing her husband and sister after finding the two in bed together. Driven chorus girl Roxie’s been tossed in the joint for bumping off the lover she’s been cheating on her husband with. Not one to rest on her laurels, Velma enlists the help of prison matron Mama Morton and slickster lawyer Billy Flynn, who turn Velma’s incarceration into a murder-of-the-week media frenzy, thus preparing the world for a splashy showbiz comeback. But Roxie’s got some of her own tricks up her sleeve…
Follies
Marquis Theater | Opening: 09/12/11When former members of the Weismann Follies reunite on the eve of their theater's demolition, two couples remember their past and face the harsher realities of the present. The shadows of their younger selves remind them of the complicated steps they've danced, both on the stage and throughout their lives.
Godspell
Circle in the Square Theatre | Opening: 11/07/11Prepare ye for GODSPELL, the beloved classic from Stephen Schwartz, the Grammy® and Academy Award®-winning composer of WICKED and PIPPIN. Enjoy all the good gifts of one of the most enduring shows of all time as it comes to Broadway in a brand new, intimately staged, one-of-a-kind production. Raise your spirit with the Tony®-nominated score filled with the popular hits Day By Day, Learn Your Lessons Well and Turn Back, O Man.
This timeless tale of friendship, loyalty and love has touched the hearts of countless theatergoers all over the world--and now you can join the celebration as a spectacular ensemble of Broadway’s best performs the greatest story ever told. So come sing about love - at GODSPELL.
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
Al Hirschfeld Theatre | Opening: 03/27/2011As the show begins, J. Pierrepont Finch, a young window washer, is poring over a how-to book for transforming himself into a tycoon. He soon bluffs his way into a job in the mail room at World Wide Wicket Company, where he catches the eye of secretary Rosemary Pilkington. With a mixture of innocence and smarts, our hero continues to climb the ladder of success, impressing boss J.B. Biggley while overcoming opposition from Biggley’s lazy nephew, Bud Frump. Meanwhile, Biggley is trying to keep his sexy mistress, Hedy La Rue, happy, and Rosemary is dreaming of an idyllic suburban life with her future husband “Ponty” Finch. Will everyone at World Wide Wicket get their version of a happy ending?
How to Succeed is a delightful musical satire of corporate life and office politics, packed with memorable songs such as “I Believe in You,” “Brotherhood of Man” and “Been a Long Day.” The big draw of director/choreographer Rob Ashford’s revival is the exhilarating musical debut of Daniel Radcliffe as Finch. With impish charm, Radcliffe sings and dances his way through this big, bright production, which features Ashford’s signature high-energy musical numbers and design elements perfectly in sync with the show’s early ’60s setting. Winner of both the Tony and Pulitzer Prize for its 1961 debut, How to Succeed has earned its status as a classic, not-to-be-missed musical treat.
The office-based storyline and script of How to Succeed are rather sophisticated, and there’s talk of affairs and satirical sexist moments, but nothing more suggestive than a network TV drama. Tween-age fans of the Harry Potter films will enjoy seeing Daniel Radcliffe performing live on Broadway.
Jersey Boys
August Wilson Theatre | Opening: 11/06/05Jersey Boys is a musical biography of the Four Seasons—the rise, the tough times and personal clashes, and the ultimate triumph of a group of friends whose music became symbolic of a generation. Far from a mere tribute concert (though it does include numbers from the popular Four Seasons songbook), Jersey Boys gets to the heart of the relationships at the center of the group—with a special focus on frontman Frankie Valli, the small kid with the big falsetto. In addition to following the quartet’s coming of age as performers, the core of the show is how an allegiance to a code of honor learned in the streets of their native New Jersey got them through a multitude of challenges: gambling debts, Mafia threats and family disasters. Jersey Boys is a glimpse at the people behind a sound that has managed to endure for over four decades in the hearts of the public.
Upbeat, slickly produced and fast-paced, Jersey Boys appeals to diehard fans of the Four Seasons and audience members less familiar with the group’s extensive catalogue of hits. Unlike most jukebox musicals, the show boasts heavy emphasis on storytelling, which adds to its universal appeal.
Although Jersey Boys snaps along at a pace easy for younger audiences to follow, it is not really a show for young children: they won’t get the heavy nostalgia factor, and parents may find themselves cringing at sexual innuendo (“Oh, What a Night!” indeed), infidelity, the (offstage) death of a child, enough swearing to make a truck driver on the Jersey Turnpike blush and other behavior you might expect from four tough guys touring from sold-out concert to sold-out concert.
Lion King, The
Minskoff Theatre | Opening: 11/13/97A lively stage adaptation of the Academy Award-winning 1994 Disney film, The Lion King is the story of a young lion prince living in the flourishing African Pride Lands. Born into the royal family, precocious cub Simba spends his days exploring the sprawling savanna grasslands and idolizing his kingly father, Mufasa, while youthfully shirking the responsibility his position in life requires. When an unthinkable tragedy, orchestrated by Simba’s wicked uncle, Scar, takes his father’s life, Simba flees the Pride Lands, leaving his loss and the life he knew behind. Eventually companioned by two hilarious and unlikely friends, Simba starts anew. But when weight of responsibility and a desperate plea from the now ravaged Pride Lands come to find the adult prince, Simba must take on a formidable enemy, and fulfill his destiny to be king. A vibrant and exciting tale from the great creatives at Disney, The Lion King is a story of love and redemption that nobody should miss.
Mamma Mia!
Winter Garden Theatre | Opening: 10/18/2001Set in a beach resort in the Mediterranean, Mamma Mia! tells the story of Sophie, a bride-to-be with one wish: to have her absent father walk her down the aisle. After reading passages about three old lovers in her mom’s diary, Sophie sends each a wedding invitation in hopes of learning which is her dad. The arrival of the men from her past is surprising to Donna, Sophie’s fiercely independent mother, who prides herself on getting through life without a man, and highly amusing to Donna’s two best gal pals. The more Sophie and her mother struggle to find truth and understanding, the more it threatens to tear them apart and wreck Sophie’s dream wedding.
Calling all ABBA fans, this has your name written all over it. The songs are all culled from the Swedish super-group’s songbook, and this is one Broadway show where singing along (and dancing in the aisles) is encouraged. The show has full-on, high-energy to spare, with periodic breaks for ballads and drama. In three words? Fun. Fun. Fun.
Though kids will love the cool music and the energetic dancing, the plot can bring up some questions for the little ones. (Why did Donna have so many boyfriends, mommy?!) But nothing’s very explicit and the tone is cheery throughout, making it a pretty safe family destination
Man and Boy
American Airlines Theatre | Opening: 10/01/11Man and Boy focuses on Gregor Antonescu, a corrupt financier in the 1930s whose musician son rebels against his greedy ways by becoming a socialist. This Roundabout Theatre Company revival marks the 100th anniversary of playwright Terence Rattigan's birth.
Mary Poppins
New Amsterdam Theatre | Opening: 11/16/2006Mary Poppins is the story of the Banks family who live in a big house in London on Cherry Lane. Things are not going well for the family, the children, Jane and Michael, are out of control and are in need of a new nanny. Jane and Michael have their own ideas about what sort of caretaker they should have, while their parents—and in particular Mr. Banks—are insistent on someone strict for the job. When a mysterious young woman named Mary Poppins appears at their doorstep, the family finds that she’s the answer to their prayers, but in the most peculiar way. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memorable adventures, but Jane and Michael aren’t the only ones she has a profound effect upon. Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that “anything can happen if you let it.”
If you like the movie, you’ll probably love the show. It features all the classic songs (“A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “Spercalifragilisticexpialidocious” to name a few) plus some catchy new tunes. With elaborate sets, eye-popping light displays and show-stopping numbers, this Disney-rific production will transport you to the Banks’ household on Cherry Lane as well as the rooftops of London.
Is Mary Poppins Good for Kids?
Absolutely. There’s plenty of spectacle (she flies!), plenty of laughs and songs the whole family will likely keep singing after the show ends. One moment involving a toy box coming to life may give young ones a fright (and some have noted that it is a tad on the long side for wee ones), but all in all, this is one of Broadway’s surest bets for kids.
Memphis
Shubert Theatre | Opening: 10/19/2009Memphis is set in the places where rock and roll was born in the 1950s: the seedy nightclubs, radio stations and recording studios of the musically-rich Tennessee city. With an original score, it tells the fictional story of DJ Huey Calhoun, a good ole’ local boy with a passion for R&B music and Felicia Farrell, an up-and-coming black singer that he meets one fateful night on Beale Street. Despite the objections of their loved ones (Huey’s close-minded mama and Felicia’s cautious brother, a club owner), they embark on a dangerous affair. As their careers rise, the relationship is challenged by personal ambition and the pressures of an outside world unable to accept their love.
This rollicking new musical is like a non-stop ball of energy. From the first notes of its electrifying opening number “Underground” right up to a rousing finale called “Steal Your Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Memphis delivers one energetic song after the next, with some of the best singing and dancing found on Broadway. Although the story deals with serious subjects regarding race, it’s never heavy-handed in the telling. It’s hard to imagine leaving Memphis without being lifted by its high-octane entertainment.
Breathe easy, parents! Other than a scene of violence involving a beating, Memphis is good, clean fun that sends theatergoers out on a positive message. Teenagers especially will appreciate the radio-ready songs by Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan and Joe DiPietro. Most likely, the whole family will rock and roll at Memphis.
Mountaintop, The
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | Opening: 10/13/11The Mountaintop is a reimagining of events the night before the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, after delivering his legendary "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. When room-service is delivered by a young woman with a mysterious identity, King is forced to confront his past, as well as his legacy to his people.
My Sinatra
Ha! Comedy Club | Opening: 06/04/11Cary Hoffman turns his celebrated PBS special into a biographical, often hilarious and poignant one-man musical about his love and idolization for his hero Frank Sinatra and the perils of wanting to become somebody else. He utilizes over 20 classic Sinatra songs, creating a musical score about his lifelong obsession. Hoffman captivates his audience with his intimate journey of what it was like to grow up fatherless with three musician uncles, who played on some of Sinatra's greatest recordings, turning Sinatra into a fantasy father.
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
St. James Theatre | Opening: 12/11/11On a Clear Day You Can See Forever follows Dr. Mark Bruckner, a handsome psychiatrist and professor who is still in love with his late wife. When Bruckner treats David Gamble, a quirky young florists' assistant, Bruckner puts Gamble under hypnosis to help him quit smoking so the young man can move in with his perfect boyfriend, Warren. During their session Bruckner stumbles upon what he believes to be Gamble's former self, a dazzling and self-possessed 1940s jazz singer named Melinda Wells. Bruckner is instantly smitten by Melinda and pursues a love affair with the woman, who's from another time and place and who may have never even existed.
Other Desert Cities
Booth Theatre | Opening: 11/03/11Brooke Wyeth, a once promising novelist, returns home after a six year absence to celebrate Christmas in Palm Springs with her parents, former members of the Reagan inner circle, her brother and her aunt. When Brooke announces she is about to publish a memoir focusing on an explosive chapter in the family's history, the holiday reunion is thrown into turmoil as the Wyeths struggle to come to terms with their past.
This new play by the creator of TV’s Brothers & Sisters is both funny and searing, filled with clever exchanges among family members who know exactly how to push one another’s buttons.
Phantom of the Opera, The
Majectic Theatre | Opening: 1/26/1988Based on the 1910 horror novel by Gaston Leroux, which has been adapted into countless films, The Phantom of the Opera follows a deformed composer who haunts the grand Paris Opera House. Sheltered from the outside world in an underground cavern, the lonely, romantic man tutors and composes operas for Christine, a gorgeous young soprano star-to-be. As Christine’s star rises, and a handsome suitor from her past enters the picture, the Phantom grows mad, terrorizing the opera house owners and company with his murderous ways. Still, Christine finds herself drawn to the mystery man. Audiences agree—The Phantom of the Opera is Broadway’s longest-running hit. Ever.
Both romantic and scary, The Phantom of the Opera is a thrilling night of theater with grand emotions. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score, with its beloved signature song “Music of the Night,” sets the mood, but you may also find yourself humming the gorgeous period costumes and simple yet grand sets (even the famous chandelier, which probably falls slower than you’d expect, is a thrill).
Grand opera and lush romance might not be a kids cup of tea. And the Phantom is a frightening guy. There are old-fashioned scare moments throughout—a dead corpse plunging from a noose, shrieking-for-their-lives ballerinas, that disfigured face... Such sights will either send your kid burying their face in your arm or thinking it’s the coolest show in town.
Porgy and Bess
Richard Rodgers Theatre | Opening: 01/12/12Porgy and Bess tells the story of Porgy, who lives in the slums of Charleston, South Carolina, and his attempts to rescue Bess from the clutches of Crown, her pimp, and Sportin' Life, a drug dealer. The musical features the classics "Summertime," "Bess, You Is My Woman Now," "I Got Plenty o' Nothin'," and "It Ain't Necessarily So."
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Palace Theatre | Opening: 3/20/2011Based on the popular 1994 film of the same name, Priscilla Queen of the Desert follows two drag queens and a transsexual who buy a run-down old bus (they call it Priscilla) and set out on a road trip across the Australian Outback when one of them, Tick, is invited by his ex-wife to perform his drag show at her far-away resort. However, Tick is hesitant to tell his friends, Bernadette (a former performing icon who’s best days are behind her) and Adam (a rambunctious young troublemaker), his own personal reasons for taking the trip. During their journey, the trio encounters an array of Australian citizens, some of who aren’t receptive totheir lifestyle, while strengthening their own friendship.
Featuring dance and disco tunes from the likes of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Donna Summer, Priscilla is filled with incredibly imaginative and over-the-top costumes, drag makeup and dance numbers that maintain an energetic pulse throughout the show. A life size bus even moves around onstage. The drag queens alternate between providing their own vocals and lip-synching to the music, which is then sung by the shows “Divas,” a talented trio of beautiful and wildly costumed women. Despite the show’s campiness (be prepared for lots of glitter and boas), Priscilla still provides a deep story about the importance of friendship and family.
While Priscilla features messages of tolerance and acceptance, certain scenes may be inappropriate for young children. The witty trio enjoys hurling friendly insults at each other, several of which are filled with sexual innuendo and vulgar language. One supporting character is also shown performing a lewd sexual act involving ping pong balls and there is a scene involving an attempted hate crime.
Private Lives
Music Box Theatre | Opening: 11/06/11Glamorous, rich and reckless, Elyot and Amanda have been divorced from each other for five years. Now both are honeymooning with their new spouses in the South of France. When by chance they meet again across adjoining hotel balconies, their insatiable feelings for each other are immediately rekindled. Without a care for scandal, new partners or memories of what drove them apart in the first place, they hurl themselves headlong into love and lust.
Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles
Brooks Atkinson Theatre | Opening: 02/08/11Rain is much more of a concert event than a play with music, so there is no real plot. Instead, the show lets history speak for itself. Rain follows the career of The Beatles from the British invasion and their landmark performances on The Ed Sullivan Show and at Shea Stadium through their final albums Abbey Road and Let it Be. The mood is set with original film footage and TV commercials from the 1960s, and over the course of show, the musicians who play John, Paul, George and Ringo evolve with their music, going from mop tops to bell bottoms and peace signs.
Because Rain is such a concert-like experience, it’s a much more laid back atmosphere than a traditional Broadway show. The audience is invited to dance and clap along, and if you’re up for a good sing-a-long, this is a show after your heart.
Rain is great for music fans of all ages. Though there are plenty of hippie ideas, they are stripped of sex and drugs references, leaving only rock ‘n’ roll. Kids will enjoy the chance to sing and dance along, so if you’re a Beatles fan you can enjoy the show, whether you’re old enough to remember them at Shea Stadium or young enough not to know what Shea Stadium was.
Relatively Speaking
Brooks Atkinson Theatre | Opening: 10/20/11Relatively Speaking is comprised of three one-act comedies springing from a different branch of the family tree. In Talk Therapy, Ethan Coen uncovers the sort of insanity than can only come from family. In George Is Dead, Elaine May explores the hilarity of death. And in Honeymoon Motel, Woody Allen invites you to the sort of wedding day you won’t forget.
Sister Act
Broadway Theatre | Opening: 4/11/2011Based on the 1992 film of the same name, Sister Act tells the story of aspiring disco diva Deloris Van Cartier. Trying to work her way to the top in 1970s Philadelphia, Deloris falls in love with a very tough—and very married—gangster boyfriend named Curtis, and when Deloris witnesses him commit a murder she ends up in hiding on police orders in a convent whose parish has fallen on hard times. Though the sequin-free lifestyle doesn’t agree with her, Deloris finds her calling working with the choir, and breathes new life into the dusty convent while discovering a sisterhood she’s never had before.
The show-stopping Deloris is the heart and soul of this feel-good musical. Her glamorous lifestyle and general fabulousness keep everyone rooting for her through her journey to the convent, her run-ins with the dour Mother Superior and her inspirational choir numbers, all while evading her boyfriend and the trio of singing gangsters hot on her tail. Modern Broadway ballads make way for rousing all-cast production numbers in the infectious score from eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken. Who wouldn’t love nuns in sequins, unlikely friendships, the solidarity of Sisterhood and a happy ending?
From its brightly colored costumes to its hummable tunes and wholesome message, Sister Act is a family friendly musical all the way. The big no-nos—sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll—play little part in the show (these are nuns, after all) and what violence is seen onstage is largely implied, rather than graphic.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Foxwoods Theatre | Opening: 06/14/11Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark loosely follows the storyline familiar to the comic bok series and the 2002 film adaptation of the Spider-Man while adding its own twist on the popular tale. When nerdy teenager Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider he discovers he has obtained super strength, web-spinning abilities and other spider-like powers. Parker soon finds himself battling scientist-turned-madman Norman Osborn, who adopts the alter-ego of the Green Goblin. In addition to fighting the evil Green Goblin and winning the heart of his neighbor Mary Jane, Spider-Man also finds himself having to face Arachne, a seductive spider goddess who has her own plans for the superhero.
One of the most technically elaborate Broadway musicals of all time, Spider-Man brings the Manhattan skyline to life on stage and features incredible aerial stunts as Spider-Man flies over the audience to fight his foes. The musical features a rock score penned by famed U2 musicians Bono and the Edge. Similar to other projects from the show’s original director, Julie Taymor, there are inventive costumes, puppets, masks, projections and more stunning visual techniques used throughout the show.
While superhero loving kids will go crazy for Spider-Man as he soars around the audience, younger children may be frightened by the Green Goblin and the other evildoers who aim to fight Spider-Man. Much of the fight choreography looks like stylized dancing, so it is not overly violent.
Stick Fly
Cort Theatre | Opening: 12/08/11Stick Fly follows the LeVays, an affluent African American family who come together to spend a weekend at their stately Martha's Vineyard mansion. The adult sons, aspiring novelist Kent and golden boy plastic surgeon Flip, have each brought their respective ladies (one black and one white) to meet the parents. Food, drink and Trivial Pursuit tangle with class, race and identity politics in this contemporary comedy of manners.
War Horse
Vivian Beaumont Theatre | Opening: 4/14/2011War Horse centers on the relationship between Albert, a teenager growing up on a farm in Devon, England, just before World War I, and his beloved half-thoroughbred horse, Joey. Albert’s family is poor, and his father raises cash by selling Joey to the cavalry as the war begins in 1914. Too young to enlist, Albert craves news of his horse, which was shipped to the battlefield in France. Three years later, Albert runs away to join the army, determined to find Joey and bring him home. Meanwhile, this smart and brave horse is pulled into service on both sides of the conflict before being left on his own in no-man’s-land, surrounded by trenches and barbed wire.
War Horse is a thrillingly unique theatrical epic in which actors tell the story alongside (and sometimes astride) lifelike horse puppets. The vast stage at Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater is virtually bare, but the cast of 35 (including groups of three performers who control the horse puppets’ “head, heart and hind”) is constantly on the move in scenes that jump from the Devon countryside to the battlefields and forests of World War I-era France. The bond between young Albert and his horse, Joey, is utterly believable, and audiences come to care deeply about what will happen to both of them. This is a don’t-miss event for anyone who loves stage drama.
Although War Horse is based on a children’s novel and features a teen protagonist, it includes scenes of mass death on the battlefield, suffering “horses” and shell-shocked soldiers. The content is no more upsetting than a PG action movie, but a live performance can be a more intense experience for young audiences. The play is best for ages 12 and up.
Wicked
Gershwin Theatre | Opening: 10/30/03A vivid reimagining of the classic The Wizard of Oz, Wicked spotlights the untold stories of Oz’s most famous (or infamous) characters, namely the Wicked Witch of the West and her unlikely friend, Glinda the Good Witch. The show follows green-skinned star Elphaba from birth to college and through the life-changing events which eventually label her “wicked,” introducing spoiled rich girl Glinda, local prince and heartthrob Fiyero and even the Wizard of Oz himself, a troubled man very unlike the one you may remember. As Elphaba, a passionate political activist if there ever was one, fights injustice and seeks to undo the mistakes of the past, dark secrets and personal tragedies shape the history of Oz, paying homage to the classic Wizard of Oz story while simultaneously changing fans’ understanding of it forever. A cautionary tale about love, friendship and trust, Wicked effortlessly reveals that there are indeed two sides to every story.
The show is visually stunning, Wicked boasts a soaring score from Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pocahontas), Tony Award winning sets and costumes and some of the most gravity defying moments playing currently on The Great White Way. Though the dark show may be the antithesis of the bubbly, Technicolor Judy Garland film, its touching story and engaging characters make it one you won’t want to miss.
While not nearly as tot-friendly as the 1939 flick, Wicked steers clear of bad language and adult or sexual situations. A few creepy encounters with flying monkeys, allusions to offstage violence and the death of a character may be a bit too much for your youngest viewers, but the show has broken ticket selling records by offering fun generally fit for the whole family.
